Transnistria is a small independent country located in south-eastern Europe, bordering Moldova and Ukraine. The official name of the State is the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, acronym PMR, also known as Pridnestrovie. Transnistria has been an independent State since 1990, although currently Transnistria has very limited recognition from other States. Transnistria has a population of over half a million people. From independence in 1990 until 2011 Transnistria was led by President Igor Smirnov, since 2011 the country has been led by President Evgeniy Shevchuk.

Western governments would have you believe that Transnistria should be part of Moldova, that following the collapse of the Soviet Union that all of the Moldavian SSR should have become the Republic of Moldova, what they don't tell you is of peoples wishes. A majority of those in what is today Transnistria didn't wish to be part of a country called Moldova where Romanian is the official language and where minorities are at the mercy of an ethnic Romanian majority.

The very same States which tell us that Transnistria had no right to declare independence are the very same States which tell us Kosovo had every right to declare independence. The double standard is clear, those regions which are pro-Western can have independence, those regions which are pro-Russian, cannot. Under international law (Declarative Theory) Transnistria meets international law requirements for statehood, those being, 1) it has a defined territory, 2) a population, 3) a government, 4) a capacity to enter into relations with other States. The West seeks to give the impression that it holds firm to the belief that borders cannot be redrawn while it supports those who redraw borders when it suits their own Western interests.

We have to ask ourselves why should people be forced to live within a State if they do not wish to? Surely one of the arching, over riding principles of a democracy should be that the people are sovereign and if so they surely reserve the right to express their own will. The people of Transnistria have, repeatedly, expressed this will. For how much longer will the world community continue to refuse to respect the will of the people of Transnistria? Some will make the argument that Transnistria is too small in size, or has too small a population or too weak an economy to survive as an independent State. This is a fallacy. There are many internationally recognised independent States, with geographical areas of roughly the same size or less than Transnistria, with similar or smaller populations such as EU member States, Malta and Luxembourg, non-EU Iceland, and other countries such as Belize, Suriname and the Maldives, amongst many others. There are also internationally recognised States with economies weaker than that of Transnistria. International recognition would contribute to a strengthening of Transnistria's economy.

Recognition for Transnistria would bring economic development and higher living standards for her people, the international community punishes Transnistria and her people on a daily basis for not succumbing to its will, for daring to express their right to self determination, yet Transnistria continues to persevere, Transnistria continues to express her multicultural identity in the face of incessant criticism, black propaganda and hostility. That alone stands as a testimony to the strength of will and fortitude of her people.